New Year's "Resolutions"

Shut the front door, another year's over? Oh, hell. 

And it's resolution time. Again. Frankly, I think mine were actually fairly successful because I was more embarassed to have completed none (and to have to publicly own up to it) than to attempt each and achieve medium success. 

So here we are, 2011. You are likely to kick my butt in many ways, but I will try and weasel some goodies out of you yet. And though I'd love to jump on my friend Joines's train (who vowed to maximize the dancing in public and wear more costumes in 2011), I'm afraid that might terrify the baby. And innocent bystanders.

A 2010 resolution recap:

1. Spend more time pursuing my favorite things to do: writing, reading, any and all things home design related, and less time ruining brain cells on terrible reality television, etc. Success: Numerous writing workshops, started a book club with 3 local friends, took Milwaukee Rec courses in flowers, cake decorating, sewing, French, gardening, etc., finally painted the master bedroom and purchased drape fabrics. Reality television intake definitely down a notch. Fail: Still watched every episode of America's Next Top Model and The Real Housewives of New York, New Jersey, Atlanta and DC. Fabrics currently residing in guest bedroom closet.

2. Get this traitor of a back in shape. Success: No chiropractor visits of late, last back injury almost 1 year ago . . . and counting. Belly has yet to cause major irritation. Fingers and toes crossed.

3. Get more education, whether that's a class or full-fledged school once we land Down South (hah!). Success: Modern Literary Theory at UWM - totally stretched my brain and forced me to read Marx, Freud, Heidegger, Levi-Strauss, Lacan and more. January brings a Fiction Workshop at UWM with a terrifyingly strict teacher and two mandatory 15-page submissions. Yikes.

4. Do something that scares me. Not 'swim with sharks' kind of action, more along the lines of trying something different and new that forces moi to grow. Success: The class at UWM, seeing as it was 80% PhD students and my first foray into "theory." Require much more education in this department before I begin to understand it.

5. As always, be a better daughter and friend. I have a physical aversion to the phone and it's flat-out childish. Medium success on the phone. And that's being generous.

6. Drink nicer wine. Success: in Napa! Fail: at home ($15 is our bottle limit, boo). Double Fail: Wineless since September. Major success: Baby-to-be's fault!

2011: 

1. Get ready for this baby! As ready as possible, keeping perspective and knowing that a happy pregnant lady is much better than a hostile, tired, stressed-but-fully-organic-slash-read-every-parenting-book-in-Borders pregnant lady.

2. Cherish these last few months of just me and Una. Hopefully take a small trip before our little Bloomberry arrives in May.

3. Apply to low-res MFA programs. That's an order, self.

4. Spurred by interior designer Sara Gilbane's goal (as seen on ElleDecor.com!), I am also planning to edit, edit, edit. If I know anything about babies, it's that they come with a lot of accessories. And not the Chanel kind. The house is already overflowing with things that find little use. Time to say goodbye. (So I can say hello to new ones! No. Abbey, no.)

5. Submit writing samples for publication. Anywhere.

6. Hire a trainer or self-motivate to lose the baby weight within 3 (okay, 6?) months. For my mental sanity, I need to at least attempt this.

7. Do more volunteer work. I started volunteering at a local special-needs school in December. It isn't enough, but it's a start.

8. Enjoy that first glass of post-baby wine. 'Cuz time will fly and (wineless) adventures abound with a little one. A new kind of party awaits!

Tell me your most important resolution! Own it and I'll hold you to it (and you can hold me to mine - especially number 6).